Telecommunication method for a wireless network

ABSTRACT

A telecommunication method for a wireless network comprises providing a location server and a location based application for the wireless network, requesting a location reporting service by the location based application from the location server, detecting when a wireless mobile telecommunication device fulfils a location condition, assigning a temporary identifier to the wireless mobile telecommunication device by the location server, providing of the temporary identifier to the location based application.

This invention is bases on a priority application EP 03 290 800.6 whichis hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to telecommunication methods for wirelessnetworks, and more particularly to location based services.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The location Inter-operability Forum (LIF) has defined a specificationfor a Mobile Location Protocol (MLP). MLP is a secure access method thatenables Internet applications to query location information from awireless network, irrespective of its underlying air interfacetechnologies and positioning methods. The MLP serves as an interfacebetween a location server and a location-based application. One of thelocation services defined in MLP is “Triggered Location ReportingService”. This is a service used, when the mobile subscriber's locationshould be reported at a specific time interval or on the occurrence of aspecific event. The location report does not contain data, which wouldenable to identify the mobile subscriber for privacy reasons.

The present invention aims to provide an improved telecommunicationmethod, in particular for usage on the basis of MLP. Further theinvention aims to provide an improved location server and location basedapplication.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides for a telecommunication method for awireless network which enables to provide user data to a mobilesubscriber without revealing the identity of the mobile subscriber to alocation based application, which requires to send the user data. Inessence, this is accomplished by assigning a temporary identifier, suchas a session identifier, to the mobile subscriber, when it enters thespecified location.

On the level of the location server, the temporary identifier can bestored together with the Mobile Subscriber Identifier (MSISDN). TheMSISDN enables the location server to send various types of messages tothe corresponding mobile subscriber. This MSISDN is not communicatedfrom the location server to the location-based application but only thetemporary identifier, which has been assigned to the MSISDN. This waythe location based application can request the location server to senduser data to the mobile subscriber, which entered the location without aneed for the MSISDN.

In one application the specified location is a commercial area, such asa supermarket. When a mobile subscriber enters the supermarket, this isdetected by the location server and a session identifier is assigned tothe mobile subscriber. The session identifier is forwarded from thelocation server to the location-based application.

The location-based application can in turn request that certain userdata be transmitted by making reference to the session identifier. Inresponse, the location server sends out a message of the requestedmethod type with the user data by means of the MSISDN, which is assignedto the session identifier. The user data can be of any type. In the caseof the supermarket the user data can contain advertisement or marketinginformation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following preferred embodiments of the invention will bedescribed in greater detail by making reference to the drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a telecommunication system comprising alocation server and a location based application,

FIG. 2 is illustrative of a flow chart of a method of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a telecommunication system 100.Telecommunication system 100 has a wireless network 102, such as a GSMor UMTS-type network. Wireless network 102 covers commercial area 104,such as a supermarket.

Location server 106 is coupled to wireless network 102. Location server106 has program 108, which serves to generate database 110.

Location based application client 112 can communicate with locationserver 106. For example, the Internet can be used as communication meansfor data exchange between the location server 106 and location basedapplication client 112.

Location based application client 112 can request a trigged locationreporting service from location server 106 in accordance with MLP. Inthe request a location specific event is indicated as a trigger for thelocation reporting. In the example considered here, the event is when amobile subscriber enters a specified area, which is commercial area 104.Alternatively, other location specific events can be selected as atrigger, such as when the mobile subscriber exits the commercial area104.

When location server 106 detects that mobile subscriber 114 enterscommercial area 104 the location reporting is triggered. Location server106 receives the MSISDN from mobile subscriber 114. By means of program108 a Session ID is generated for this MSISDN. Both, the MSISDN and theSession ID, are stored in database 110 for later reference.

Location server 106 sends a response to location based applicationclient 112 in accordance with the MLP. In addition to MLP the responsecontains the Session ID, which has been assigned to the MSISDN of themobile subscriber 114 by program 108 of the location server 106.

In response, location based application 112 sends a request to locationserver 106 to send certain user data in the session with Session ID. TheSession ID is used as a key by program 108 to access the correspondingMSISDN of mobile subscriber 114. The user data is than sent fromlocation server 106 to mobile subscriber 114 by means of an SMS, MMS oranother message type supported by wireless network 102.

The format of the push request of location-based application 112 tolocation server 106 can be XML. The structure of the XML push requestcan be defined by means of Document Type Definition (DTD) files, whichare stored on the location server 106, and the location basedapplication client 112. For example, the Session ID, the type of messageto be sent from location server 106 to the mobile subscriber, and theuser data to be transmitted to the mobile subscriber can be thearguments of the request.

FIG. 2 shows a corresponding flow chart. In step 200 location-basedapplication sends a Triggered Location Reporting Service Request to thelocation server. In the request a location specific event is specifiedas a trigger. For example, the trigger condition is fulfilled when anyactive mobile subscriber enters a specified area.

In step 202 the location server detects that a mobile subscriber entersthe specified area. In step 204 the location server assigns a Session IDto the MSISDN of the mobile subscriber. The Session ID and the MSISDNare stored in the database of the location server for later reference.

In step 206 the location server sends a MLP response to thelocation-based application including the Session ID but not the MSISDN.In step 208 the location based application sends a Push Requestincluding the Session ID, the message type for sending the user data(SMS, MMS, . . . ) and user data as arguments to the location server. Instep 210 the location server uses the Session ID as a key in order toretrieve the MSISDN, which has been assigned to the Session ID, from thedatabase. By means of the MSISDN the user data is than sent from thelocation server to the mobile subscriber using the specified messagetype.

List of Reference Numerals

-   100 telecommunication system-   102 wireless network-   104 commercial area-   106 location server-   108 program-   110 database-   112 location based application client-   114 mobile subscriber

1. A telecommunication method for a wireless network comprising:providing a location server and a location based application for thewireless network, requesting a location reporting service by thelocation based application from the location server, detecting when awireless mobile telecommunication device fulfils a location condition,assigning a temporary identifier to the wireless mobiletelecommunication device by the location server, providing of thetemporary identifier to the location based application.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, further comprising storing of a mobile subscriber identifierfor the wireless mobile telecommunication device and the temporaryidentifier by the location server.
 3. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising requesting of the transmission of user data by thelocation-based application, whereby the temporary identifier iscomprised in the request.
 4. A telecommunication method for a wirelessnetwork comprising the steps of: receiving of a request for a locationreporting service from a location based application by a locationserver, detecting when a wireless mobile telecommunication device entersthe location, assigning a temporary identifier to the wireless mobiletelecommunication device, forwarding of the temporary identifier to thelocation based application, receiving of a request to transmit user datafrom the location based application, whereby the request indicates thetemporary identifier.
 5. A telecommunication method for a wirelessnetwork, comprising the steps of: requesting a location reportingservice from a location server by a location based application,receiving of a temporary identifier of a wireless mobiletelecommunication device which has fulfilled a location condition from alocation server, requesting the transmission of user data to thewireless mobile telecommunication device on the basis of the temporaryidentifier.
 6. A location server for a wireless network comprising:means for receiving of a request for a location reporting service from alocation based application, means for detecting when a wireless mobiletelecommunication device fulfils a location condition, means forassigning a temporary identifier to the wireless mobiletelecommunication device, means for providing of the temporaryidentifier to the location based application, means for receiving of arequest to transmit user data from the location based application,whereby the request indicates the temporary identifier.
 7. The locationserver of claim 6, further comprising database means for storing ofmobile subscriber identifiers and assigned temporary identifiers.
 8. Alocation based application server for a wireless network having alocation server, the location based application server comprising: meansfor requesting a location reporting service from the location server,means for receiving of a temporary identifier of a wireless mobiletelecommunication device which has fulfilled a location condition fromthe location server, means for requesting the transmission of user datato the wireless mobile telecommunication device on the basis of thetemporary identifier.
 9. The location based application client of claim8, further comprising means for indicating a message type for sending ofthe user data.
 10. A telecommunication system comprising: a wirelessnetwork, a location server being coupled to the wireless network, meansfor receiving of a request for a location reporting service from alocation based application by the location server, means for detectingwhen a wireless mobile telecommunication device fulfils a locationcondition, means for assigning a temporary identifier to the wirelessmobile telecommunication device, means for providing of the temporaryidentifier to the location based application, means for receiving of arequest to transmit user data from the location based application,whereby the request indicates the temporary identifier.